SOS
by Archnemeses
Summary: Now Brad Colbert is having to face the zombie apocalypse, will survivors be hostile targets or friendlies? How will he get his men out alive. AU Brad/Nate *Complete*
1. Chapter 1: First Response

**Title: SOS**

**Summary: **Now Marine Brad Colbert is having to face the zombie apocalypse, will Rick Grimes' group of survivors be hostile targets or friendlies? AU Brad/Nate

**Warning: **Brad/Nate slash pairing, don't like don't read. **Nothing** **explicit at all**. And this is based on the fictional characters as portrayed in the TV series Generation Kill and in no way the real Marines who are heroes**. **

**Chapter 1: First Response**

Beaufort County, South Carolina was their objective. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (MCAS Beaufort) is an air base that held Navy and Marine personnel, as well as being home to six Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter-attack squadrons plus one Navy F/A-18 strike fighter squadron. Brad knew he just had to get his men those three hundred miles and they would be back into a world he knew. There was no reason to go to South Carolina, or the whole Southern United States, as far as Brad was concerned but that was currently his AO. He was still trying to wrap his head around how things went from bad to so much worst so quickly. Well he was a Marine. He was used to making due.

Master Sargent Bradley Colbert was supposed to be taking it easy, slowing down, and getting ready to get out of the Marine Corps. He had already served four tours overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was teaching a wilderness survival course in the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia to a group of junior Marines and a few officers who needed the course credit to then move on to desk jobs. The two week exercise had gone well, only two Marines "died," but all twelve had passed. He didn't know most of the Marines in his course with the exception of Staff Sargent Evan Stafford who was his first choice to teach with him. He knew Evan was planning on leaving 1st Marine Reconnaissance Battalion soon as well and didn't want him on another deployment before then.

Most of the junior and senior Marines knew him though, Brad "The Iceman" Colbert, they had read both books and seen the TV show. Plus with his reputation in the Recon community, most of the junior Marines looked up to him like he was sort of a super Marine. The officers were split though, some saw him as disparaging all Marine Corps Officers, others knew the men he served under and completely understood. None of them expressed these feelings to him of course

They returned from their last hike through the woods back to their small satellite base camp and that's when it started to go downhill. The Capitan overseeing the Camp ran out to greet them looking hysterical.

"You can't enter! This whole area is now quarantined!" The Captain had a bandage wrapped around his left arm and was holding his side arm in the other hand.

Brad stepped forward his hands raised, in a gesture for the man to lower his gun.

"Sir, may I ask for a sit-rep?" Brad said in his most agreeable affirmative voice, the man was clearly very upset.

"Lieutenant Mitchel started to get sick a week ago. He starting running a fever, it got to over 103! Doc said that temp should have fried his brain. He tried cooling him down, cold water, ice, cold packs, meds, nothing worked. I called to Evac him yesterday, but they said response time would be over seven hours. There is some sort of national emergency. Some kind of Swine-Flu or something everyone is getting sick, people are rioting in the streets. Mitchel died. At least we thought he did. Doc left his body in the infirmary while we waited for the Evac. Then a while later Mitchel up and walks out of the infirmary! The Doc ran over to check him out and Mitchel takes a bite outta the Doc's neck! Kills him! Guess the fever made him go crazy! He starts chewing on the Doc more so I had to shoot him! I had too! I shot him right in the heart and he didn't go down! Ran towards me instead I unloaded a whole clip into his chest! He bites my arm, tried to kill me like the Doc. I pulled away, ran and reloaded. This time I got him in the head and he went down!" The Captain was crying by the end of it.

The satellite base if you could even call it that was small. After the students and instructors went out into the woods, the only people left at headquarters were Capitan Matthews, Lieutenant Mitchel and the Medic Doc Smith. Now two of them were apparently dead, and the Captain was not faring much better. Brad could see his cheeks flushed from fever and shaking with chills. Brad kept his distance from the man. If Mitchel did have some communicable disease the Capitan was now infected. He gave Stafford a look that tried to communicate this. He thankfully got the message and told the students to get back. Captain Matthews then seemed to pass out. Brad stepped back trying to access the situation and the best approach to help the man, but before he could another officer Capitan Donaldson ran towards him.

"Failing to render aid, I'll see you Court Martialed Colbert!" Donaldson said as he bent down towards him. Matthews then sprang up and ripped out Donaldson's throat with his teeth.

Brad using his M4 put one shot through Matthews and Donaldson's heads.

"Supply room now, MOPP Level 4 posture! Double time it!" Brad ordered. All the Marines ran to towards the supply room/armory. Stafford maintained order passing out the gas masks, MOPP packs, gloves and boots, Brad picking up the rear. After getting suited up Brad left his Marines with Stafford and went to search the main building that housed the infirmary. While the mask did cut down some visibility he was trained to observe with it.

He found the Doc's body, the shoulder had looked it had been gnawed on and the stomach was spilling all over the floor from another mauling. After making sure the other rooms were secure, he made his way to the radio. He used every emergency frequency he knew, finally one came through. He couldn't relay an outgoing message but one incoming message was loud and clear. Atlanta and surrounding areas were considered a hot zone for Wildfire and code Red 7 was in effect.

The Military were going to bomb Atlanta. They were only a few miles outside the city. Brad had to get his men out of there. Going back outside, he relayed some of this information to his men, mainly that they needed to leave the area as soon as possible. Working together they retrieved their personal duffels, grabbed medical supplies, MREs, and raided the armory. Loading down two giant military transport vehicles they were ready to leave. Brad gathered his two remaining officers Second Lieutenant Mike Jones and First Lieutenant Bobby Walker and filled them in on all the information including the code Red 7. He then told them of his escape plan. They would make their way to the next closest Marine base in South Carolina, only half a day's drive. They would split the enlisted men, five with Brad and Walker and six with Stafford and Jones. They would drive with Brad's vehicle on point. Luckily two of the enlisted men had their licenses to drive large vehicles. All the men had tried to get a signal for their cellphone, the ones that did got a busy service signal.

Nate tried Brad's cell again and he didn't answer. He was probably out of range. Retired Capitan Nathaniel Fick USMC was currently in traffic but slowly crawling his way towards Brad's location in his rental car. It was finally his exit and the back roads were less crowed. He could finally see the road that lead to the training school.

This was supposed to be his vacation time. He'd pick Brad up from his two weeks "bonding with nature" as he called it then they would relax, see the sights, and then maybe head towards Florida. Brad needed a beach to function. But instead he showed up at the hotel and on every station there is warning of an outbreak. He actually saw the news images of people going crazy, biting and eating people. That's when he packed his things back into his car and headed towards Brad. He knew the military was probably handling this but he didn't really have any other plans or somewhere to go. He tried contacting his parents they didn't answer, his sister either.

He was met on the dirt road by a large military transport vehicle, three men in MOPP suits jumped out guns pointed towards him. He exited his car slowly.

"Capitan Nate Fick USMC!" He shouted with his arms raised.

"Nate, have you been bit or scratched!" A familiar muffled voiced asked.

"No, Brad?" He asked.

The figure nodded. "What the hell are you doing here?" Brad asked rhetorically. Nate was early he wasn't supposed to get to Atlanta until Saturday, it was Friday.

Luckily one of the men thought to bring an additional MOPP suit, probably for himself but he handed it over to Nate, who gratefully put it on. After exchanging all the information they had with each other, Brad found another route using rural and farm roads to avoid the traffic. The only problem was that it would take much longer. Nate got his car off the road, and put his suitcase in the back of Brad's vehicle. They had been on the road for about an hour when they saw the helicopters and jets passing above them going towards Atlanta.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, please Review, Favorite and Follow! **

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	2. Chapter 2: Out of Gas

**Chapter 2: Out of Gas**

Even through the back roads the men encountered civilians, Brad told his men "observe everything, admire nothing." People were panicking, but Brad knew they weren't the National Guard or the Police. They had nothing to give them or information on what to do. Other people would hide from them like they were going to shoot them in the face. They drove all day and stopped at night. The first night they encountered more infected, what used to be a man in blue jean overalls came out of the woods towards them. Stafford shot him down, that's when they noticed that after the gunshot three more came out of the woods. Sound attracted them.

Brad had all his men affix their Ka-Bars as bayonets, and told them to strike for the eye, nose, or up through the mouth and to shoot only as a last resort. It was that night that they saw how decayed these people were, one was missing arms, another a jaw, and one was just a torso. But they still tried to attack them. These were not people anymore. They were in fact dead and severely diseased. Some of the men started to raise the question of whether it was right to kill them or not. Morally and ethically, there had been no declaration of war, and these were US citizens. Brad could not believe there was even a discussion, people try to kill you and you try to kill them right back. None of these kids had been to war, Nate told him and probably never had to make that tough decision before.

Brad gave the ROE, rules of engagement, as follows: kill any persons who appear to be infected and pose an immediate and eminent threat to you or another around you. Brad wasn't an officer but the senior most Marine and the two officers agreed with him. After Brad's speech about the ROE Nate spoke, introducing himself properly and told them that though he was retired now he believed and trusted Brad and would have given the same directive. Nate was just as famous in the men's eyes as Brad, most had read his book, as it was suggested reading now in the Marine Corps. Afterword a couple of the junior Marines came by to talk with him.

Brad had instituted sound and noise discipline, set up a perimeter and twenty-five percent watch at the location they chose to bed down for the night, he also let them remove their gas masks. If it was in the air they were already infected. So protocol was gas mask to be used when confronting infected or on perimeter check. A few marines wore the mask all the time. They didn't have to dig ranger graves, as it would actually be too difficult to react quickly if approached by a hostile. So they just rolled out their sleeping mats and ponchos on the ground around the trucks, some under the trucks.

Nate of course didn't have a sleeping mat, so he planned to sleep in the back of Brad's transport. He walked around sleeping Marines until he came to Brad's side, he was awake still in his vehicle. He was apparently trying to get a signal on the one portable radio they had. It was a piece of shit of course, he'd expect nothing less of the Marine Corps. Brad said he'd give it to Pfc. Morales in the morning he was apparently an RTO, so he'd let him try to tinker with it.

The driver's seat was empty, Brad having sent him to get some sleep, so Nate slid in next to Brad.

"I guess it's a good thing I decided to come down a day early, huh." Nate said.

Brad slowly slide his hand over across the seat, Nate's meeting his in the middle. The gesture was small but the grip was tight.

"Yeah, Nate I'm glad you did." Brad said tilting his head back. He was so much more than glad, thinking that Nate could be out there among those things scared the shit out of him, knowing he would instead be by his side during this craziness gave him strength.

* * *

Not having H & S Company really did suck. Brad soon realized that they would not have enough diesel for two vehicles. The only option was to load all the supplies onto one, and have the men walk. This was not a popular order. The men had just come back from two weeks of intense training and walking over hundreds of miles did not seem like a good time. Nate then reminded them of the men who walked the Bataan death march, and the all men who walked before them dying for their country. This pretty much shut them up. Brad soon realized Nate was not only his moral support but the men's as well. He knew he wasn't the rousing speech giver he was a facts man, but together without command interference they were able to make a great team.

* * *

They had been on the road for more than two weeks now. Walking during the day, taking breaks, killing infected, even finding and purifying water, resting at night, siphoning gas and taking supplies out of the occasional empty cars they found. Corporal Matthew Henderson and Pfc. Luke Thomson never took off their gas masks. Nate had already spoken with them and saw that they were becoming more and more troubled. In the middle of the night two gunshots rang out, Brad ran towards the sound bayonet out thinking there were infected coming towards them. Instead he found Henderson and Thomson shot in the head, the side arms in their hands.

Nate was not surprised but he was disappointed, with himself for not being able to do something more for them. They held a service in the morning deciding to bury them. They had no way of taking the bodies with them. The radio was a pretty hopeless situation so Brad was at the moment the ultimate authority. Brad took one set of their dog tags, leaving the other to identify them. They held a service, giving eulogies and mimicking a twenty-one gun salute. A few of the men were not as grief stricken, feeling they took the coward's way abandoning them.

Nate was off offering support and a kind ear to men who were shaken by the deaths. After the service Brad made his way over to Stafford.

"Dog, this shit is Screwby." Was Stafford's response as Brad walked over.

"You know this ain't you fault right? Some people they just ain't cut out for living hard. Nothin' you could 'a done." Stafford punched his arm walking away.

They had to move on. They kept walking and that night Nate found Brad doing his perimeter check.

Nate grabbed Brad's arm pulling him towards him. Brad looked around but they were far enough away no one could see them.

"Their deaths were not your fault Brad and if you keep beating yourself up how are you going to lead these men?" Nate said close to him.

"My men, my unit, my fault." Brad said quietly.

"They made a choice Brad, you didn't fail to protect them." Nate tried to soothe. Then he tried plan B. He finally gave him a proper hello, pulling him towards him kissing him roughly. Brad immediately reciprocated. They kissed until they needed to come up for air. Thank god a Recon Marine can hold their breath for three minutes. Panting Brad rested his forehead against Nate's just holding onto each other for a moment.

Nate pulled away first telling Brad to catch a couple minutes of sleep he would finish his patrol. Brad reluctantly agreed.

* * *

They found her in an abandoned dirt road cursing viciously at her Honda kicking its tires. Brad approached her with caution, when she saw them she lite up.

"Oh thank god. Sir my car ran out of gas, I was on my way to Atlanta. The radio had said there was a FEMA emergency center up there." The woman was in her early thirties, brunette and tiny barley five foot from Brad's estimate and apparently unafraid of asking for help from a six-foot tall marine in a gas mask carrying a M4 with a bayonet.

"Have you been attacked, bitten, or scratched?" Brad asked

"Oh no, I was on vacation when this whole outbreak occurred. I'm Dr. Amanda Wilson. I'm a pediatric reconstructive surgeon. Fortunately I'm in private practice not at a hospital anymore, but I still do work with Doctors without Borders. So I was going to Atlanta to offer to help." She said, apparently she talked a mile a minute.

"I haven't come in contact with anyone who is infected. I was at a small bed and breakfast when we got word of the outbreak, the couple who run it were staying put. Do any of your men need medical attention? I mean I'm sure you have a medic though." The doctor said looking over at the men. She took a step towards Brad, making Brad tense and take a step back. She just then sighed and began to take off her T-shirt and unbutton her jeans. In a matter of seconds she was standing in just her bra and underwear and spun slowly with her arms out.

"Ma'am please put your clothes back on. I believe you now." Brad said handing her the discarded jeans.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, please Review, Favorite or Follow! **


	3. Chapter 3: Close Encounters

**Chapter 3: Close Encounters **

After the Doctor was dressed Brad removed his gas mask and introduced himself. He could have given her some of the regular unleaded gas they had and let her be on her way. But the truth was they didn't have a medic and the men were starting to look and feel worn. So he broke the news to her about Atlanta.

"They were telling people to go there!" The tiny doctor said indignantly. She then slumped down against her car a few tears leaking from her eyes.

"But if too many infected individuals were located there the disease, if incurable, would ravage the whole country. I understand, it doesn't make it right though." She said. Brad let her in on their plans of going to South Carolina and offered her a ride in exchange for offering his men medical attention. She wiped her eyes and got off the ground and began to walk over with Brad to the men.

"This is Doc Wilson, she needs a new ride. I offered her one to South Carolina." Brad announced to his very curious men, most had seen her undress a couple pairs of binoculars were passed back and forth. Nate's glare stopped any catcalls.

"You can call me Amanda." She responded cheerily.

"You can call her Doc Amanda. And that's all you can call her." Brad said with the full on Iceman voice.

"Right, ok let me get my bags. You men take a seat and I'll give each of you a thorough physical. Can I get on of you strapping boys to help me?" She asked. All the men stepped forward. Brad had Stafford go with her and help her retrieve her things.

Though worst for wear their feet were the most cut up. A few were bandaged up, Brad thanked his forethought of bring almost the entire infirmary. The Doc also had a few cases of bottled water in her car that she passed out to the men, who quickly hydrated. Brad stood next to each man while each physical was performed. He didn't want any of his junior Marines making suggestive comments, but more importantly he was concerned that each maintains their combat effectiveness. The worst cases had two men ordered to sit in back of the vehicle to rest their feet and a few had urinary tract infections that they were given antibiotics for. He even made Nate get a once over, he passed a little dehydrated though.

"Ok Master Sargent time for you big boy. I know you're worried about your men offending me don't be. I've faced guerrilla soldiers in Africa before, I can handle myself against a couple corn-fed good 'ol boys. I'm a big girl. So your turn, take off your pants." She said with a cheeky smile.

"Yes ma'am." Brad said the corner of his lip upturned.

* * *

For a short distance they had to get on the main highway, Brad had planned on having the men all ride in the back of transport vehicle diesel be damned and just going through as fast as possible. The men had liked this plan very much. But the road was like a bad disaster film, there were abandon cars everywhere completely blocking the road. They would have to move the cars out of the way to create a small path for the transport vehicle to go through. The also raided the cars, fully MOPP'd up as there were dead bodies inside and out of the cars. They were surprised how many civilians had MREs, weapons, and brought food and water.

A few of the men were also looking for presents for Doc Amanda, a couple of the guys developing crushes on the bubbly women. She had been ordered to remain in the vehicle cab with one of the drivers as they scavenged. The remaining men were on patrol in front of and behind the vehicle, with one man standing with the binoculars behind the cab. They slowly inched forward returning every once and a while with their looted goodies. Stafford came back with a small backpack that he handed to the Doc.

"Ma' am can we use any 'a this?" She opened the bag and it was filled different prescription bottles all with different names on them.

"I'm not sure. Looks like a few antibiotics, sleeping pills, pain pills, high blood pressure, and cholesterol and diabetes medication mostly but some of it I'm sure. It's always better to be prepared. And there appears to be more at the bottom. Thank you, Evan." She said smiling, he looked away sprinting back to look through more cars. By the time they covered three miles they had replenished their food supply. Amanda had a lot more medications. As well as clothes, so many that she had to turn some away. Keeping the ones she knew would fit, more practical shoes, and one dress that was too expensive to just leave.

The best find of the day though had to be the Ozarka water truck they found abandoned. Brad was so thankful he had two licensed vehicle operators now. He and Evan could of course drive too, they often did rotating out with Corporal Jimmy Watson and Corporal Vincent Martinez. Jimmy and Vincent were also pretty decent mechanics. The Ozarks driver was nowhere to be found but Stafford was able to hotwire the truck, looking a little sheepishly at Colbert's raised eyebrow. They had found at least one hundred and fifty gallons of water. There was no way he was leaving that truck. Dehydration would kill them before these diseased freaks.

The road finally started to clear and they were now a convoy again. Jimmy, Stafford and Walker squished together in the water truck. In the transpo vehicle Vincent was driving, the Doc sitting between him and Colbert and the rest of the men in the bed. Private Jamie Holloway tapped twice on the hood of the cab to signal he saw something up ahead as he had the binoculars on lookout. The trucks came to a halt. Colbert got out and jumped on top of the cab with the binoculars.

He saw the people up ahead unfortunately they also had eyes on them too from the top of an RV. Some old man in a fishing hat started waving his arms at him, seeming to get the attention of people on the road beneath him. He counted eight adults, two children. Three of the men were definitely armed with guns, another man with a crossbow. One man was in a full on sheriff's deputy uniform, including the cowboy hat, the other younger man had a black baseball cap that said police on it. He figured from how he stood next to the woman, these were his friends and family.

Brad was still contemplating what to do when he saw the Deputy began to walk towards the convoy. He told all his men to get out onto the road, gas masks on, guns ready, but not to fire until his signal. He didn't know how many people could be in that RV, he didn't have time to do proper reconnaissance. Brad had Walker and Corporal Jacobs follow him in formation guns ready. The closer he got the more he was able to see the man, he had his hands raised and he looked desperate. Desperate men always unsettled Brad. They met in the middle of a grass traffic median.

"None of my people have been bitten, none of us are sick, we are just looking for help. We have woman and children and no food or water left. Please sir, just asking for a little help. There is no civilian safe zone, ya'll are the first live troops we've seen. My names Rick Grimes, my wife and son are over by that RV which is where I left my gun. " The man finished pointing to his empty holster. Brad had already noticed it but also saw the man in the cap pointing a rifle their direction.

"Get off the highway, look for shelter and keep your women and children indoors. We'll leave you with some food and water. Do you have any radios?" Brad asked, then he turned telling something to his Corporal who sprinted back to the other men.

"Yes, just a couple CBs. Thank you for the food and water, but how are we supposed to survive out here alone? Where are you and your men headed?" Rick asked, then he saw six men walking back, four men carrying 5-gallon water jugs and another carrying a box the last had his weapon drawn.

"We will leave you this for your radios. I'm sorry we don't have any humanitarian rations to give. Our supply lines are compromised too. I have to think about my men. If you ration and then find a camp ground next to a stream or well your people will be okay. And with these infected you need to aim for the head, try a knife first sound attracts more of them. I'm sorry." Brad said sincerely.

**A/N: Thanks to anyone reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: Battle Ground

**Chapter 4: Battle Ground **

The man visibly deflated and the man with the shot gun came running up behind him. Brad's men all trained their weapons on the new comer, Rick raised his hands.

"So what are you gonna do shoot us in the face? Yeah I saw you guys at the hospital, shooting down everyone you saw, people screaming for their lives it was a bloodbath. Rick, what did I tell you these guys weren't gonna be any help."

Brad could tell this man was unhinged. And would probably get the others actually killed, though he was curious about this hospital incident. Probably some weekend warrior National Guardsmen, trigger happy mother fuckers, one undisciplined grunt causing a whole chain reaction.

Brad decided to be magnanimous. "Well we aren't whatever fucking National Guardsmen you saw. Marines don't shoot innocent civilians, we do happen to shoot men who point guns at us. I have myself and my men. How many rounds do you have? Are all your people willing to die for you, my men are willing and ready to die trying for me? Just take your damn water, the Georgia summer must be hell for you, because one-hundred and twenty in the shade during a war was basically a vacation for us." Brad then signaled with his fist making all of his men retreat backwards very quickly. They then jumped into the back of the transport vehicle which sped off with the Ozarka truck close behind.

Brad hoped those rednecks didn't have enough time to get into their convoy and chase them. Brad wanted them off the major highway as quick as possible. His driver knew the map front to back already so he relayed the message and they were on a small paved two lane road soon. The sun was setting and since they had covered so much ground, going as fast as they did, he decided they would break for the night.

As they began to set up camp for the night, Doc Amanda came up to Brad and asked about the other survivors. He told her the truth she got visibly angry, called him a heartless bastard and that he truly lived up to his nickname. The rest of the men heard all of her tirade and most avoided her the rest of the night. Even Evan who she had been developing somewhat of a relationship with, she usually bunked next to him at night. She knew he was upset that night as he went to sleep on the other side of the camp. The Doc was sitting alone on her new sleeping bag when Nate sat down next to her.

"So you're willing to be seen with me. I questioned the Supreme Authority don't you know it will look bad if you associate with me." The Doc said wrapping herself in a zip up jacket, Evan had found for her.

"You should try and cut him a little slack, Amanda. He's under enough stress as it is. Brad's just trying to keep his men alive." Nate responded.

"Because their lives are more important than those people we left on the side of the road. We have the gas we could have brought them with us." She said turning to face them.

"Ok, say we did bring them and we all make it to the MCAS. What then?" Nate asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"They're civilians Amanda. I bet there is a lockdown in effect, military personnel only. They will be turned away. Brad's supposed to watch that. Offer those people hope then literally be the one to take it away." Nate said.

"But I'm a civilian." She said affronted.

"But you are also a doctor and not just any doctor, a surgeon. With this outbreak, I bet the military lost a lot of doctors, so they would take any they could get even civilian ones." Nate finished.

"So I'm more valuable than some woman who was an accountant." The doctor concluded.

"Unfortunately, you are. And making decisions like the one Brad had to make today was one of the reasons I left the Marine Corps." Nate said sadly.

"What were the other reasons?" She asked.

"Brad mainly." Nate said smiling.

"Working with him made you want to change your career?" The doctor seemed confused.

"No, see it was never going to be a career for me. I knew I would move on to do something else one day. Brad though he was born to be a Marine, this is his career, what he was built to do. And I would never ask him to leave, even when he's on deployment and he can't call me for six months. So I left to not compromise his career anymore." Nate finished seeing the recognition in the Doc's eyes.

"How long have you two…?" She asked.

"Seven years this November. Not that you're asking or I'm telling. " Nate said grinning.

"Seven years wow, I didn't even get a hint! You two have to always hide, don't you?" She whispered.

"Not always, but most of the time, yes we do. Brad's also not a big sharer so most people don't notice or are too afraid to ask him about his personal life. And everyone also knows the ex-fiancé story so they assume he's too broken for a long-term relationship." Nate said quietly.

She looked across the camp and saw Brad looking at the two of them intently.

"I should probably go over and apologize." She said getting up from her sleeping bag.

"Something I can do for you Doc?" Brad asked leaning against a tree on watch, Lt. Walker was next to relieve him.

"I just wanted to say I was out of line earlier. I should not have said what I did without knowing all the facts. You did the only thing you could, you left them food and water while keeping us safe too. You are doing a good job leading us. I know all the men respect you and your judgment. I've done charity work in third-world countries and know you just can't help everyone, sometimes I guess I just wish I could." She finished squeezing Brad's arm. Nate had left her sleeping bag to get some sleep by the transpo vehicle by the time she got back.

* * *

Crossing the state-line was a big to-do, the fevered whispers of Get Some, high fives, and hugs all around. They were finally in South Carolina. They had come a long way and did not have much left to go. The biggest downer was finally running out of diesel for the transpo vehicle. The group had managed to scrape, save, and scavenge a lot of fuel but their luck had to run out. They packed all their duffels and other supplies inside the empty places in the Ozarka truck, which thankfully ran on regular unleaded. Evan even managed to find cans of spray paint in an abandoned car. He then drew a huge SOS running the length of the top of the trailer. They also put their signal flag on the hood of the truck.

They had seemed to encounter fewer survivors and more infected in South Carolina. Brad calculated it would take them three days to get to MCAS Beaufort at their current speed. What he did not expect was for Pfc. Morales to finally get a signal on the radio. It happened towards the late afternoon of their second day in South Carolina, they went from static to over hearing a conversation.

It sounded from best Brad and Nate could tell a pilot speaking to what amounted to Air Traffic Control. After listening for a moment longer they tried to send their distress call. Brad about collapsed when he heard, "Solid Copy, interrogative identify yourself." Brad gave them all the needed clearances, at least from as up to date as he knew. They heard the planes about thirty minutes later, the two F/A-18 Hornets raced over their heads tilting their wings from side to side signaling they had seen them. They were given coordinates on where the transport helicopter would pick them up the following day. All the men double timed it, to the open pasture taking the truck as well.

The helicopter was right on schedule the guys went nuts, already having their things packed away. The second the rear hatch opened they all ran in, almost not wanting to give the pilot a chance to say no. When they landed they were all taken straight to the base's infirmary. After preliminary exams found them uninfected Brad was met by Marine General Thompson who was in command of the Air Station now. Word of finding twelve live Marines that had hiked across two states to get to their base had garnered his attention. Brad first introduced himself, and then went on to recount the events at the survival school, finally their journey. After the debrief, he was asked to introduce his men, he left Nate and Amanda for last.

"This is Capitan Nathaniel Fick, USMC retired. Staff Sargent Stafford and I served under him during OIF1 in 2003. We stayed in contact and he was stopping by for a visit to the school when this outbreak occurred. My men and I would not have made it here without his courage and guidance. Lastly this is Dr. Amanda Wilson, we found her in Atlanta. She is a pediatric reconstructive surgeon, but has served faithfully as our medic during our journey. Best Corpsmen I've ever met." Brad said standing at attention.

"At easy Master Sargent, you and your men will be written up for commendation, yours is an amazing story of heroism and true Devil Dog spirit. You are a tough bunch of bastards, nothing can kill a Marine." General Thompson finished. The men gave an enthusiastic Oorah in return.

"Capitan Fick, I have read your book and recommend it to all my junior officers. This is war time, I know you have retired but are you willing to re-up? Lead your men again?" The General asked.

"I can assume we are under martial law at the moment? Is legislature passed by the most recent administration still in effect, specifically the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell?" Nate asked the General, he saw Brad out of the corner of his eye twitch almost imperceptibly.

"Capitan, people who should be dead are trying to kill civilians we have bigger things to worry about. But if that is your only reservation, the answer is yes the repeal is still in effect." The General said a little taken aback.

Brad stepped forward, "Permission to speak freely, sir." The General nodded.

"Capitan Fick and I are in a monogamous committed relationship which is why I can see his reservations at re-upping. But we are both extremely professional and neither would risk our men's lives for a foolish or selfish reason." Brad finished, the General seeming to try and take in all the information just given to him.

"If that's all, I'll send down Capitan Jamieson with the paperwork for your re-enlistment, Major Fick. I'll expect you, once you have medical clearance, to be at central command." General Thompson finished. Frank Thompson besides being a Marine was a loving father and grandfather to his two grandchildren from his daughter and her wife. They lived in Maryland and he prayed every day that they were safe.

"Doctor Wilson, Ma'am will you being staying with us? The Navy I'm sure would be more than happy to have another surgeon here." The General stated.

"Well in the interest of full disclosure, I am engaged to Staff Sargent Evan Stafford now. This was all very sudden but if you have someone to officiate I would marry him tomorrow. And if Evan's here then I want to be here as well. I don't know if I would make a good sailor but know I am a damn good surgeon, if you need me I'd be more than happy to sign on the dotted line." She responded looking up to meet his eye line.

"A wedding Father Mahoney will be ecstatic, and from what Master Sargent Colbert has told me you will make an excellent sailor. Thank you for looking after our men on their way here." The General finished walking out.

* * *

Brad and his men had to stay in the infirmary for only a week, which shocked the doctors considering they had been walking and fighting infected for two months. Doc Wilson did really manage to keep them relatively healthy. By now the whole base knew about the Georgia Dozen, the devil dogs who walked there from Atlanta. Father Mahoney was the base chaplain and was indeed ecstatic. The turnout for that Sunday's service was so large he decided to move it to one of the outdoor mess halls.

Amanda had a pair of gold strappy heels at the bottom of her suitcase and at the moment she was glad she kept them. She also pulled out that dress found along the Georgia highways. Evan borrowed a pair of dress blues from one of his Marine brothers on base. He asked Brad to be his best man and he wore a pair of clean camies. General Thompson even came to the service sitting in the front row in full dress uniform.

After a brief introductory prayer by Father Mahoney, Nate and Amanda appeared at the back of the tent. Nate was wearing a pair of pressed khakis and one of his dress shirts that he originally packed for his Atlanta trip. Amanda's dress was formal blue silk off the shoulder number. She looked ready for a red carpet, having dug out her make bag from her old suitcase. Brad and Evan looked down the aisle as they slowly walked towards them.

**A/N: Thanks for reading please review! This was originally a crossover, but while writing I realized that Brad wouldn't have the other characters with him. This is my first gen kill story and I'm a little discouraged to write more in a fandom I love so much, because of lack of response. **


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